Newsletter Spring 2019
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Issue 49 Newsletter Spring 2019 Editorial TITLE TITLE In this issue P.3 Editorial P.7 European Elections - Insights P.9 Key European Elections’ 2019 European dates P.10 EU Parties Manifesto elections: Towards Analysis a more sustainable P.13 Think 2030 Publications and videos relevant to the Europe? EU elections P.14 2019 European Policy Calendar P.17 2017-2018 IEEP Annual Report P.18 IEEP Books and Publications #ThisTimeImVoting P.19 Events and Conferences Editorial e are just a few days away from the To inform debates before the elections, IEEP and European elections, which are to be its partners convened the Think 2030 platform last held on the 23rd-26th of May 2019 in October bringing together 100 policy experts to W discuss pathways towards a more sustainable Europe, a polarized political context marked by the rise of Euroscepticism and unprecedented public producing 30 key recommendations. According concern for climate issues. to Votewatch Europe, as much as 55 to 60% of the incoming MEPs will be newly elected, so we very The stakes are high: the latest IPCC report concludes much hope that these evidenced-based, non-partisan that we have 12 years to turn things around and reach recommendations will provide a high-quality source the Paris Agreement objectives. As the European of information to the new parliamentarians. Commission did not yet provide a blueprint for the To bring messages to the Member State level and help post-2020 agenda, the new European Parliament could inform the democratic debate, IEEP worked together play a key role in filling the void. In a context when with IDDRI (France), TMG (Germany) and IVL, Mistra the European Council is divided over the ambition of and SEI (in Sweden). Europe’s future climate and environmental policies, the European Parliament will also bear particular On April 2nd, TMG, one of the German Think 2030 responsibility in scrutinizing the Member States’ partners, presented the Think 2030 outcomes at a implementation of EU environmental law and in Deutscher Naturschutzring (DNR) event in Berlin. responding to the European citizens’ growing concern on climate change. Think 2030 conference, Brussels, Belgium © Clementine Richer/IEEP IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 2 3 IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 On May 2nd, IEEP, IVL, Mistra In Paris on May 4th, IDDRI, Candidates also explored what the Paris, France and SEI co-organised an event in Sciences-Po and IEEP welcomed future Parliament would look like Stockholm with MEP candidates over 200 people in a highly and whether it would be able to from different parties. While interactive conference. Six parties support an accelerated transition climate change was seen as the were represented on the panel. towards sustainability. top priority by the candidates, The urgency to take the necessary ecodesign, consumption-based actions to face climate change, the emissions and just transition were role of innovation, biodiversity loss, also debated. See here to read CAP, pesticides and many more more about this event. issues were discussed. Stockholm, Sweden © IDDRI Berlin, Germany At the EU level, IEEP organised a session together with the European Environmental Agency, WWF and Energy Cities at Green Week on May 16th to discuss how the next European Parliament could help close the implementation gap, which prevents parts of European environmental acquis to achieve its objectives on the ground. Read more on IEEP’s work on © IDDRI implementationhere . EU Green Week conference Brussels, Belgium Last but not least, IEEP carried However, most manifestos also have out an analysis of the manifestos major blind spots on biodiversity, of European parties for the sustainable consumption or European parliamentary elections environmental governance, ©Deutscher Naturschutzring to analyse proposals relevant to the showing that the environmental environment and sustainability. community still has a way to go in conveying the complexity and Analysed manifestos indicated interconnected nature of the a significant increase in climate environmental challenges we face ambition with some parties citing today in Europe. either the 1.5 degree Paris target, climate neutrality by 2050 or a more ambitious 55% emissions ©Ylva Rylander / SEI and Mia Pantzar / IEEP © Clementine Richer/IEEP reduction target for 2030. IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 4 5 IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 2019 European elections - insights POLICY PRIORITIES AND PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE European public opinion has fundamentally shifted in issues, feeling of disenfranchisement, lack of interest the last few years. Decades of relative consensus, and lack of knowledge of EU institutions , fear of loss of whereby the European Parliament and national national identity, poor voter mobilisation or simply that governments jointly governed an expanding area the political system is essentially incomprehensible of policy, have been threatened by the increase in to voters. Worrisome voter turnout trends are also polarisation of opinions, interests and values all along apparent across various demographics, notably age the political spectrum. This is a result of ongoing groups, where younger age groups are significantly economic, social and environmental challenges which more likely to abstain from voting. Whether we will are testing the internal cohesion of the European see a shift in this trend remains to be seen, especially Union. The latest Eurobarometer survey indicates that in a context where support to Europe is on average opinion sees immigration, terrorism and economic increasing among voters (see here). This is one of many situation as Europe’s biggest problems. uncertainties in the lead up to this critical election. VOTER-TURNOUT – A TROUBLESOME TREND The increasing urgency voiced by climate scientists worldwide has led to a spike in demonstrations demanding global leaders to take action on climate change. There is hope this will put to an end the historically low voter turnouts in European Parliamentary election. Every year since the establishment of the European Parliament in 1979, voter turnout has consistently decreased with each passing election with the last election reaching an all- WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? time low of 42.54%. That the EPP and S&D may not reach a majority alone (see seats projection below) is an interesting development as various players now have the power to negotiate as parties all across the political spectrum tussle to form a majority. If the EPP wants to see its Spitzenkandidat at the head of the Commission, negotiations might include red lines from other parties, The debate on the future pathways towards a more Let’s hope that the new MEPs, irrespective of the from ALDE to S&D. sustainable Europe comes at time when the politi- party they come from, will be able to work together cal establishment is under scrutiny from EU citizens. to address the daunting challenge set by scientists of Since the European Parliament’s inception in 1979, a the IPCC. We have less than 5000 days before the win- broad alliance of major parties have held a comfortable dow of opportunity for change closes so let’s not waste majority. However, polls suggest this era could come to any minute! an end. It is expected that for the first time in their his- Happy reading and voting! tory, the EPP and S&D cannot reach a majority alone, opening a new chapter in the history of the European Parliament. The low-voter turnout is a legitimacy crisis. These trends can be explained by a number of reasons including national issues overshadowing European IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 6 7 IEEP Spring Newsletter 2019 EPP – European People’s Party S&D – Socialists and democrats ALDE – Alliance of Liberals and Democrats PES – Party of European Socialists Greens – European Green Party ECR – European Conservatives and Reformists EFDD – Europe of Freedom and Democracy GUE/NGL – The European United Left/ Key European elections’ dates Nordic Green Left 22nd of May The final day which British MPs could pass a Brexit withdrawal deal What is likely is that the PES (whose manifesto seems to put a greater emphasis on environmental issues), the and avoid holding parliament elections Greens and ALDE will press for greater climate ambition than what the EPP currently offers, while parties on European Elections the right side of the spectrum (some of which do support climate action) are unlikely to make climate change 23rd-26th of May their key bargaining chip in terms of a potential alliance with EPP. June Elected candidates negotiate to form political groups for the upcoming Parliament’s 9th term. OTHER RELEVANT SOURCES ON EUROPEAN The President of the European Council proposes a candidate to the ELECTIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY European Council with EU leaders deciding by qualified majority. Adelphi: “Convenient truths - Mapping climate agendas of right-wing populist parties in Europe”. 20th-21st of June European Council Summit: “EU budget 2021-2027”, “the agenda 2019- 2024”, and high-level appointments. CAN Europe: “Defenders, Delayers, Dinosaurs - Ranking of EU political groups & national parties on climate change”. 24th of June Political groups notify their composition E3G: “Update EU elections: manifestos, key people and moments”. 1st of July Start of Parliament’s 9th term The Green 10: “2019 European Parliament election manifesto” 2nd of July Inaugural plenary session of the newly-elected Parliament IEEP conducted a country-by-country analysis of Member States systems, opinion polls and the September and October Hearings of Commissioners-designate in